The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-02-09
HENRY /. BIOSSAT, Business Manager.

only son and your mothers only
brother, my child. He went away to
the West when he was boy, there
where the sun is going, and | have
never seen him since. Your mother
was only baby when he left; oh!
wish he had only been like her! had
only been like herr Then remember
| cried, hardly knew why, and the
next morning when they went to
wakcn my grandfather he was dead. l
shall never forget it, and often when
look at the sun set, l wonder if the sun
somewhere doesn't still 60 over that
wanderer ere it reaches the western
seal"
In her absorption she did not notice
how John Earring started in the midst
of what she was saying, and now when
she glanced up she only half con-
sciously saw that his face was white.
as if great fear had crossed him, and
that he was staring at her in a dazed
way.
why" she began, with enduring
wonder, ''if living, he is my only near
relative, save Mrs. Bower, of Open
stone, you know!'
''Yes, yes" he stammered, the color
rushing back into his face, Il do not
wonder that you would like to know if
he still lives. I-I-should like to
know that, too" then more calmly:
did not your mother remember
him?''
Only little, believe. If alive he
must be an old man nowp'
Eyes"
Then they fell into silence; the girl
holding her beautiful face to the sun
set with a musing look, and the young
man looking down at the grass, which
he did not see. A vail seemed spread
over it. and the past, which had nearly
died out of his life in these blissful
weeks, came streaming back over him,
and the awful cry of the strangling
book-keeper seemed wailing again in
his ears.
In moment more Mrs. Brayton
called up the hill that they were GO
ing, and the young couple went down
the path and the carriage rolled away
into the city.
That night the church choir in which
Celeste sang met about her piano for
practice, and John Earring excused
himself and went away into the star
light with troubled heart. He did
not give much heed to the way he went,
but walked ON, thinking darby of what
+ Celeste had said. He knew that he
loved her now that this indeiinable
danger lowered over them. The shock
that came with her words. though he
could not see to the bottom of what he
feared, had made his love for her as
plain to his feelings as a stream of
light to the eye. It were much as if
she had started to slip from him, and
with the first throb of fear he felt how
in heart, in inclination, in intellect,
and in person, she was beautiful and
had melted into his being After a
time he looked up as if something IA
miliar had come in his way, and saw
that he had returned to her gate. For
moment he stood there looking up
the pathway that led to the house, with
the flood of light that came from the
door and painted it white, thinking
that tomorrow he would tell her all.
But did she love him? A tumult ran
through his blood at the thought,
mingling gladness and dread in its
| flight. Then the singing broke out
afresh, and he stood listening to Ce-
leste's voice coming to him through it
all, and thought with throb how far
it had led him and how sweet and
sympathetic it was, like crystal pict-
ure Of her soul in sound, when hand
touched his shoulder and with a start
he saw policeman standing by him.
Sounds nice,' said the man, with
nod toward the house. ''Who lives
| 'ere?"
''Mrs. Brayton," said John Earling,
looking at the man in his intent way.
"Yes; will il there young oman
named Bright Celestial, or some such a
'eayenly 'andle to 'er, Twin 'ere?"
Eyes, sir"
''There izp Well, snag me! but hi
didn't believe i'm. Hi tole the Capin
the hole codger was a crank, and had
about as much sense as 'ornet with
the 'eadache, but e sent me to see any
way, and shore enoughn'
"Who are you talking about?" asked
the young man, knitting his brows and
feeling something like chill run over
him.
"W'y, one of the beatenest hole Tags
looked somethin' like dead elm tree
when the bark S mostly peeled hoff an
it's turned ragged an white-come into
headquarters this evenin' with liz hyes
stickin' hout so as We could peck 'em
hoff with billy, an throwed il grip
down shriekin' hout e was murderer
an wanted some place to die in! Hi
hain't been at the biz long, yit fol-
Tered the river twenty year an am con-
siderably used to sights, but snag me
if hi didn't ave to old my false teeth
in with one hand shuck so, while hi led
i'm into a cell with tother!"
Clearly this was facetious person.
John Earring looked at him impa-
tiently.
"Well, hid no sooner got i'm onto a
bunk, he went on, '.fore e begun a
rantin' about bein' murderer, an
Celestus Shine. or Bright, an sayin' e
wanted 'er fetched there to see i'm,
an hi told the Capin an we looked in
the directory an shore enough it was
there, an hi come up to see.n
John Earling turned sick at heart
and there was buzzing sound in his
ears as he heard Celeste's sweet voice
die away at the end of the anthem.
Il viii 60 with you," he said, huskily.
The man looked at him inquiringly.
low bout the miss?' he asked. 'Be
you 'er brother?'
.'No; friend. l am visiting here.